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<title>10 Crows by aqueen03</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27960311">10 Crows</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/aqueen03/pseuds/aqueen03'>aqueen03</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Original Work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Counting rhyme, Crow - Freeform, Sorrow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 14:21:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>733</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27960311</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/aqueen03/pseuds/aqueen03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>one for sorrow<br/>two for mirth<br/>three for a wedding <br/>four for a birth<br/>five for silver<br/>six for gold<br/>seven for a secret not to be told<br/>eight for a kiss<br/>nine for a wish<br/>ten for a bird you must not miss.</p>
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</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>10 Crows</h2></a>
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    <p>The breeze was steady and cold, as any late October breeze is. It swept over the corn field, rustling the stocks and moving them in tune to the invisible melody of the wind. The tree branches above scattered the fallen leaves, and started gusting them across the space in a frenzy of bright colours. Across the way, down in the middle of the field, the corn stalks were bending in an erratic path. It was silent except for the wind and the pounding of feet, beating in a frantic rhythm. It was sudden, when two figures burst out of the corn, running full pace to get away. They themselves had no idea what it was that was chasing them, just that they had to get away. They dare not stop and look back for fear of slowing down and being caught. The two figures in question were only boys, not yet 13 years, and brothers, or... close to it.</p><p><br/>They had no business in the field, only their curiosity and wonder, yet somehow they had stumbled upon something, still they know not what. They worried for their parents, sisters and such, for such a creature that pursues them would show no mercy. They though about how their family would react if they never did return, how they would be mourned; missed. They knew bad luck followed curious children, their grandpere had said so, and yet they still ventured out that morning, with every intent to explore the back fields and creek until the evening sun set and their mother called them back. Now though, they were regretting the decision as their end became a more real possibility with every passing second.</p><p><br/>Every breath they took was labored, every step taken on shaking legs, every mile seemed to pass in hundreds. It was as they come out into the clearing, the one found between fields, that one tripped. He fell in a flurry of pain and limbs, he made barley a sound as he hit the hard October ground and the air in his lungs was expelled. His brother turned, when he felt the comforting weight of his brothers hand in his tug away, yanked out by gravity and ill times luck. He could not stop though, for fear of the chase, and its untimely end, he kept on. His brother picked himself off of the hard ground and dashed to catch up with his other half, he was quick, but not quick as he needed to be, the air whistled around them as they ran, almost in tandem, one just behind the other. It was as they entered the clearing between fields, that it happened.</p><p><br/>The creature was high on the chase and took the chance to pounce. The boy heard a shriek and felt the interrupted air of where his brother was moments before, now on the ground covered by a creature in fur. He tripped and fell trying to turn to run, but it was no use, the creature had noticed him. He scrambled backwards as the creature advanced, he was scared, a bone deep terror that filled every fiber and nerve in his body. His brother was on the ground not 10 feet away, barley breathing, blood everywhere. His eyes were blurring with tears as he stared at the eyes of the creature, and he knew. He knew in that moment he would not be running home. He would not be helping grandpere with the goats, or mama with her churning. He would never learn to train the colts or help raise his sister. He knew as surly as his brother was with him, this was his end, His last though before the creature pounced was that his brother was with him. They had come together and now, they would leave with each other, as brothers should.</p><p><br/>There was a shriek that cut through the wind and dancing stalkings, causing the field mice to scatter and birds to fly higher in the sky, it lasted only moments before silence settled across the plain once again, heavy and oppressive. High above, in the old gnarled oak that grew in the clearing, one crow sat, looking at the carnage left behind by the creature. It slowly blinded its beady eye, and gave one sharp caw, before lifting itself into the air, finding a new place to perch, sorrow following in its wake.</p>
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